Jazz's 'vocal master' Cassandra Wilson dies at 70; New Moon Daughter sold 400,000 copies

Smoky-voiced artist who expanded jazz's horizons dies in her native Mississippi

Cassandra Wilson, one of America's leading jazz vocalists, has died at 70. The New York Times reported on the 2nd, local time, that she died in Jackson, Mississippi, her hometown. The exact cause of death has not been disclosed.

Born in 1955 to a musician father and teacher mother, Wilson showed an early aptitude for music, mastering piano at age 6 and guitar at 12. After moving her career to New York in the 1980s, she drew critical attention as a founding member of M-Base, an experimental jazz collective led by saxophonist Steve Coleman.

Her musical identity extended well beyond conventional jazz. With a distinctive, deep and dreamlike lower register, she moved across blues, folk, pop and country, offering a new paradigm for jazz vocals. Her 1993 album 'Blue Light 'Til Dawn' marked a decisive turning point in her career, as she gave songs by Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison and others definitive reinterpretations in her own style.

Popular success and critical acclaim followed. Her 1995 release 'New Moon Daughter' sold more than 400,000 copies, an exceptional figure for a jazz album, and earned her first 'Grammy Award'. She won a second Grammy trophy in 2008 and, in 2022, reached the ranks of the greats when the National Endowment for the Arts named her a 'Jazz Master', its highest honor.

She also performed alongside legends who left an indelible mark on jazz history. She opened for 'Miles Davis' and toured with Wynton Marsalis, demonstrating her commanding stage presence. Her final studio recording was 'Coming Forth by Day', a 2015 album dedicated to legendary predecessor 'Billie Holiday'. The voice that Time magazine hailed in 2001 as 'America's best singer' will now echo through history forever.